Lemuel f



(No Model.)

L. F. NORTON. FENCE POST.

No. 442,636. Patented Dec. 16, 1890.

\ I 1, F 1, l

UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

LEMUEL F. NORTON, OF LEBANON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE T0 WILLIAM K. FRALEY, OE sAME PLACE.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,636, dated December 16, 1890.

Application filed April 1, 1889. Serial No. 346,160. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEMUEL F. NORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lebanon, in the county of Boone and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of fence posts which are particularly adapted to be used with stationary fences, and has for its object the construction of a post which can be easily and readily planted and at the same time be securely held in place, and having those parts entering the ground formed of material not liable to decay.

This invention further relates to a means whereby the post and its sill are held in a slightly-elevated position above the surface of the ground and to the means of anchoring the same against any transverse strain or any tendency which the runners Inighthave, when depressed or pressed against, of drawing it forward.

The invention has, further, for its object the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts, Figure l is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is an end elevation.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A represents the post, B the sill, preferably formed of iron, secured in any suitable manner to the lower end of the main post. The sill rests upon the surface of the ground or is slightly elevated above the same. The outer end of the sill rests upon a suitable support 0, of stone, concrete, or othersuitable material, and is turned upward and forms a seat D for the lower end of the brace E, which extends to the main post A and is secured to the same by the bolt 0. By using this seat in the end of the sill the use of bolts or similar fastenings for securing the brace to the end of the sill is done away-with.

From each side of the post, near its lower end, extend the brace or anchoring rods F to a fiat stone or iron plate G, planted in the ground beneath the said post. Similar but longer rods H are fastened to the post a short distance above the rods F and also extend to the plate G. These rods are firmly fastened to the plate in. such a manner as not to be withdrawn or forceddownward through the plateand hold the post elevated somewhat above the surface of the ground and secure it against any forceliable to displace it sidewise.

The outer end of the sill is notched or has projecting lugs Z), forming a recess, in which the hooked end of the rod I is secured. This rod extends to a second stone or plate K, planted in the ground near and perpendicular to the plate G, so that its broadest surface is presented to the direction from which any strain might come on the rod I.

Then it is desired to plant the post, which has been set up and all its parts secured in their relative positions, a suitable hole having an inclined trench extending from the same is dug and the plates, with their respective rods attached, are placed in position, so that the post will be slightly elevated from the surface of the ground and the outer end of the sill resting upon the support 0. Loose stones S are then placed upon the plates and form, together with the filled-in earth, a ballast for anchoring the rods securely in place and against any of the usual strains which may tend to displace the plates.

The side rods F and H secure the post against any transverse strain and hold it in its elevated position, while the rod I prevents it from being drawn forward by the force exerted by the tightened runners.

Some of the features described herein are shown in a patent granted to me February 25, 1890. Such features I do not claim in this application, except in combination with such parts as are new and novel. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the main post, the sill ioc secured to its lower end, the brace extending perpendicular to the first-mentioned plate, to from the outer end ot the sill to the upper end substantially as and for the purpose specified. of the post, the anchoring-rods secured to the In testimony whereof I ztffix my signature in lower end of the post, holding the same elepresence of two witnesses.

5 voted above the ground and secured to a plate buried beneath the post, the support under LEMUEL F. NORTON. the outer end of the sill, and an anchoring-rod Witnesses: secured tothe outer endof the sill and attached I. M. KELSEY,

to a plate buried beneath the post near and A. H. HAUN. 

